Rajiv Shah

Dr. Rajiv Shah led the efforts of nearly 10,000 staff in more than 70 countries around the world to advance USAID’s mission of ending extreme poverty and promoting resilient, democratic societies.

Under Dr. Shah’s leadership, USAID applied innovative technologies and engaged the private sector to solve the world’s most intractable development challenges. This new model of development brings together an increasingly diverse community—from large companies to local civil society groups to communities of faith—to deliver meaningful results.

Dr. Shah also managed the U.S. Government’s humanitarian response to catastrophic crises around the world, from the devastating 2010 Haiti earthquake to Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines to the Ebola epidemic in West Africa.

Through an extensive set of reforms called “USAID Forward,” Dr. Shah worked with the United States Congress to transform USAID into the world’s premier development Agency that prioritizes public-private partnerships, innovation, and meaningful results. He currently serves on the boards of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and the Millennium Challenge Corporation, as well as participates on the National Security Council.

Previously, Dr. Shah served as Undersecretary and Chief Scientist in the U.S. Department of Agriculture, where he created the National Institute for Food and Agriculture. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, he spent eight years at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, where he led efforts in global health, agriculture, and financial services, including the creation of the International Finance Facility for Immunization.

He is a graduate of the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania Medical School, and the Wharton School of Business. He regularly appears in the media and has delivered keynote addresses before the U.S. Military Academy, the National Prayer Breakfast, and diverse audiences across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East. Dr. Shah was awarded the Distinguished Service Award by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. He has served as a World Economic Forum Young Global Leader, been named to Fortune’s 40 Under 40, and has received multiple honorary degrees.

He lives in Washington, D.C. with his wife Shivam Mallick Shah and three children and has given up mountain climbing for family bicycle rides.

Ten months ago, I visited your town and was impressed by the diligence of the Warays. Today, I have seen your most profound trait -- your unbreakable spirit. The scale of destruction of Super Typhoon Yolanda that struck on November 8 and ravaged Eastern Visayas is beyond comprehension. Following disasters such as these, the provision of basic education services is of great importance. Education helps normalize the lives of children, and helps communities stabilize. Education allows children, teachers, and parents to again hope for the future and look forward to a better tomorrow. Education can also mitigate the effects of catastrophes in the future by inculcating disaster preparedness in children and parents alike.

Over the last two years, the United States’ Government, through the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), has worked to develop a new regional family planning strategy for our cooperation in West Africa. This process involved extensive consultations whereby we learned from government partners, development experts, and community organizations about West Africans’ goals for family planning as well as the challenges they face in bringing about this change.

USAID also took into account experiences from its past projects. We analyzed the latest data on family planning and demographics in the region as well as the many inputs it received. In the end, the final strategy is grounded in three pillars of support: 1) provision of family planning services; 2) improving commodity security to prevent stock-outs; and 3) improving the use evidence for family planning policies to expand the reach of services.

It is my distinct honor to join you this evening to witness the City Government of Valenzuela pave the way in bringing about good governance and improved public service with the digitization of the city government’s financial transactions. This important initiative will not only make transacting with government easier but it will also significantly contribute to the Philippine Government’s campaign to fight corruption, foster transparency and increase financial inclusion.

I am happy to join you this morning on behalf of the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to formally launch our new partnership through the $60 million Credit Facility.

In the Philippines, about 99% of all firms are micro, small, and medium enterprises. Supporting the country’s SMEs is crucial to igniting and sustaining inclusive economic growth in the Philippines. SMEs contribute to the generation of wealth, business opportunities and employment in rural and urban areas. This vital economic sector also contributes to a dynamic supply of ideas, skills and innovation needed to propel the country’s development.

Climate change is a global issue that knows no national boundaries and a challenge that can best be addressed internally. The negative impact felt by the people living in communities like Quất Lâm is shared in communities in the U.S. That’s why environment was highlighted as an important issue in the Comprehensive Partnership that was announced last year between President Sang and President Obama. The tangible effects of climate change are one of the reasons that we are so committed to cooperating with the Government of Vietnam to address this important area.

It is my pleasure to be here today to launch the next phase of development cooperation between the United States and Vietnam. USAID’s development work has played a pivotal role in advancing the relationship between our two countries. The Country Development Cooperation Strategy launched today, outlines a shared vision and continued partnership to address Vietnam’s development needs over the next five years.

The reality that we know today is unacceptable and heartbreaking—that nearly 300,000 mothers and 3 million newborns continue to die each year from causes we know how to prevent. Without access to a skilled birth attendant who provides life-saving care in rural settings, a mother’s risk of dying at what should be the most joyous moment of her life is 120 times higher than here in the United States.

That is why Saving Mothers was specifically designed to target the three big delays that put the lives of women and newborns at risk every day: the delays in seeking, reaching, and receiving good care. In many cases, something as simple as knowing the danger signs during pregnancy or arranging for transportation to a clinic ahead of time is all it takes to save a mother’s life.

USAID has been partnering with the Philippines for more than 50 years and is committed to supporting the country’s efforts to emerge from Typhoon Haiyan stronger than ever and remain a vital economic and political partner for the United States

Since Typhoon Haiyan made landfall, we’ve been working rigorously on the ground in partnership with the Government of the Philippines to provide life-saving support and respond to the needs of affected communities. Thanks to the strategizing and coordinated teamwork across all elements of the United States – USAID, the State Department and the Department of Defense, the private sector, NGOs, the faith-based community and diaspora – our country was among the first international responders on the ground to provide aid after the storm hit.

We all know science and technology are powerful drivers of social and economic change. Mobile technology is an especially versatile and powerful tool that is changing how we interact with one another, and with our communities, our governments, and the world.

Our USAID Administrator, Dr. Rajiv Shah, has been reorienting USAID to focus more on the transformative power of science, technology, innovation and partnerships (STIP) to improve development outcomes. And here in RDMA we also have our own Teresa Leonardo effectively encouraging us all to do the same, and broadening our horizons.